ANATOMICAL STUDY OF VARIATIONS IN FORAMEN TRANSVERSARIUM OF CERVICAL VERTEBRAE AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Suresh Kumar T; Satish Kumar S

Volume : VI, Issue : IX, September - 2017

ANATOMICAL STUDY OF VARIATIONS IN FORAMEN TRANSVERSARIUM OF CERVICAL VERTEBRAE AND CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Suresh Kumar T, Satish Kumar S

Abstract :

Background: The typical feature of cervical verteae is presence of foramen transversarium which exibit variations in the number, size, shape which may lead to various symptoms.The aim of the present study was to find the variations in the foramen transversarium such as incidence of accessory foramen transversarium, different shape of foramen transversarium and its clinical significance.

Material and Methods: This study included 91 dried cervical verteae obtained from the Department of Anatomy, Govt Thiruvannamalai Medical college, Thiruvannamalai. All the cervical verteae were observed macroscopically for the presence of accessory foramina transversaria on both side. Also the shape and the direction of the main diameter of foramen transversarium were studied and classified into five types.

Results: Among the 91 cervical verteae, accessory foramen transversarium observed only in 6 cervical verteae(6.6%).Out of this unilateral accessory foramen transversarium found in 5 verteae(5.5%) and bilateral accessory foramen transversarium found only in one verteae(1.1%).Five different shapes of foramen transversarium were noted and Type 1(round) shape was the prominent (52.2%)

Conclusion: The incidence of accessory foramen transversarium in the present study was 6.6%.Accessory foramen transversarium were smaller as compared to the normal foramen and more common in lower cervical verteae(C6,C7). Anatomical knowledge of these variations in foramen transversarium will be useful for radiologists in interpretation of x rays,CT,MRI scans of cervical region and also for neurosurgeons, vascular surgeons operating in this region.